Mr. Robot
Season 2 Episode 9 “eps2.7init5.fve”
Directed by Sam Esmail
Written by Kor Adana & Randolph Leon
Created by Sam Esmail
Starring Rami Malek, Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin, Christian Slater, Michael Cristofer, Stephanie Corneliussen, Grace Gummer, BD Wong, Joey Bada$$, Sandrine Holt, Azhar Khan
USA Network
Air date: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 10pm

Last week, Elliot (Rami Malek) struggled to keep his identity straight bouncing between himself and Mr. Robot (Christian Slater). He demanded to meet with the Dark Army to find out their next phase of the plan, but the problem was that HE came up stage 2 and doesn’t remember. Fsociety is going crazy and are in paranoia overload. The FBI was closing in and Agent DiPierro (Grace Gummer) knew that Angela (Portia Doubleday) was involved somehow. The desperation and paranoia are at fever pitches for everyone. And just when it couldn’t get weirder, Joanna Wellick (Stephanie Corneliussen) parked outside Elliot’s apartment.

Spoilers below for this week’s Mr. Robot.

In a slow camera zoom, Phillip Price (Michael Cristofer), the head of Evil Corp tells a confidant, “I intend to leave a legacy, the standard of which was set by God when he created the Earth and man after his own image. Anything less is not worth mentioning.” We then cut to the statuesque Joanna Wellick getting dressed as the screaming music blasts. Every part of this show impacts your senses. It’s like watching brilliant chaos. She wants to know where her husband is. They know where he is… and telling her could mean their death.

An associate of Darlene’s shows up near death. Cisco (Michael Drayer) says to take him to hospital, but she’s ready to let the man die. “He’s seen my face,” she tells him. Darlene (Carly Chaikin) is trying to rack up a body count this season. Speaking of Darlene’s body count, the FBI finds Jacobs apartment and it’s a crime scene for sure. Witnesses identified Cisco at the scene, and DiPierro warns about releasing the composite sketch due to threats of The Dark Army. But the Feds are under heavy scrutiny.

Elliot observes the world through the window of Joanna Wellick’s SUV and wonders if E-Corp was right after all. The phone that Joanna has, that she claims she’s getting calls from Tyrell rings… and there’s breathing on the other end of the line. Did Mr. Robot lie to him about Wellick? Is Wellick alive somewhere… it wouldn’t be the first OR second time this show pulled a brainf*ck on us. This show uses juxtaposition better than any on TV right now. Take the scene with Elliot molding a homemade antenna with Joanna’s henchmen behind him, as Darlene tells Cisco a bizarre childhood story… the message of both scenes, Elliot is the special one.

I take a step back and admire Sam Esmail and his team. Here is a show where almost NOTHING jolting happens. A man talks to himself, people sit at computers, people eat a diner… and yet my pulse is pounding. Elliot gets an address where the Wellick calls are coming from, but the Henchmen is apprehensive, “Trust me, he wouldn’t be calling from that house.” Meanwhile, the FBI find Cisco’s apartment and put his face out there… he’s a sitting duck now. The question is, as the episode ends, is for who he is sitting duck for?

There is no better show on TV period. Every minute is edge of the couch viewing. And only two episodes left! I simply cannot recommend this show enough.

Mr. Robot returns next Wednesday night at 10:00 only on USA.

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